Toilet seat operator



March 31, 1953 M. MORIKAWA 2,632,896

- I TOILET SEAT OPERATOR Filed March 10, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR. 7/Zz72 0/24 77Zarz'%azaa,

mjk va ATTORNEYS March 31, 1953 Filed March 10, 1949 M. MORIKAWA TOILET SEAT OPERATOR 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2 INVENTOR.

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ATTD R N EYS Patented Mar. 31, 1953 3 UNITED PATENT OFFICE I .wa as f ToiL 'rsEAT tremor Morin-wt communismmars;

Application March 10, 1949', serial No. 80,88.3

2 Claims. (01. izsi 1 My present invention relates to an improve -toilet seat operator of the type adapted for use in connection with the conventional hinged seat so that the seat may be raised or lowered by 'foot pressure without the necessity fortouching the seat with the hand.

The advantages of such a mechanical device are obvious but primarily it will result in more sanitary conditions and the elimination of hand contact with the seat and the obviation of the transmission of diseases.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention according to the best mode I have thus far devised, but it will be understood that various changes and alterations may be made in the exemplified structure within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sideelevational view of a conventional hopper or bowl showing the device of my invention in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a partial top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the seat elevated and in position tobe lowered.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view at line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawings wherein I have illustrated the present preferred form of my invention, I have shown a usual bowl or hopper 2 formed with an upper annular flange 4, and the seat 6 is hinged as at B to the rear abutment IU of the bowl. 7

In my device I use a bracket arm I2 secured by bolt M to the rear abutment and formed with a U-shaped bracket including long arm l6 and short arm I8.

The seat has an elongated lever arm 20 extending rearwardly therefrom and on the end of the lever arm I provide a weight or counterbalance 22 secured by screw 24.

A link 26 is pivoted at 28 to the arm 20 and a yoke 30 on this link has arms 32 and 34 about the arm to limit its movement.

A rod 36 has a bent end 38 connected with the link and the rod has a lower eye 40 engaging the eye 42 of bell crank 44 journaled in the arms [6 and I8. The outer end of the crank 44 is Divotally connected with the wire 46 of spring 48 which encircles rod 50 notched at 52 for adjustable engagement with the hook 54 of the spring 48.

A pedal arm 56 on the rod 50 provides means for actuating the mechanism by the foot.

A spring 58 has one end secured on the bracket arm l2 and the other end to eye 40, andthe bell crank has a rod 60 welded thereon, the end 62 ion mine anaemiazsepieenaemai with arm 15, and t oth r nd 4 nd ng Deli-93 5 the bell crank in the path of falling counterbalance.

When the pedal is depressed the crank is r0- tated pulling the rod 36 to initiate the movement of the seat, it being obvious that after the initial movement, the weight will raise the seat. spring 58 and the weight striking rod end 64 move the bell crank longitudinally in the bracket, and thus to lower the seat, the foot is used to push the bell crank mechanism rearwardly in the bracket.

This causes the rod 36 to push up on the lever arm and thereby raise the weight and lower the seat.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a toilet bowl provided with an annular flange on its upper end, a seat pivotally connected to the rear of said bowl, a mechanism for causing pivotal movement of said seat, said mechanism comprising a lever arm having one end secured to said seat, a counterbalance mounted on the other end of said lever arm, a bracket having a straight portion and a dependent U-shaped portion formed at one end thereof, the other end of the straight portion of said bracket being secured to the flange on said bowl and extending sidewardly therefrom with the U-shaped portion extending longitudinally of the bowl, a slidable crank supported by the U-shaped portion of said bracket, a pedal arm connected to one end of said crank for rotating the latter in said bracket, a rearwardly extending rod secured to the rear portion of said crank in the path of said counterbalance-for engagement with said counterbalance and said bracket to limit the forward lateral movement of said crank and the downward movement of said counterbalance, and means connecting said crank to said lever arm so that when said pedal arm is depressed said means will give impetus to said lever arm whereby said counterbalance will actuate said lever arm to raise said seat.

2. In combination, a toilet bowl-provided with an annular flange on its upper end, a seat pivotally connected to the rear of said bowl, a mechanism for causing pivotal movement of said seat, said mechanism comprising a lever arm having one end secured to said seat, a counterbalance mounted on the other end of said lever arm, a bracket having a straight portion and a dependent U-shaped portion formed at one end movement of the 3 thereof, the other end of the straight portion of said bracket being secured to the flange on said bowl and extending sidewardly therefrom, with the U-shaped portion extending longitudinally of the bowl, a slidable crank supported by the U-shaped portion of said bracket, a pedal arm connected to one end of said crank for rotatin the latter in said bracket, a rearwardly extending rodsecured to the rear portion of said crank and extending rearwardly thereof in the path of the downward movement of said counterbalance for engagement with said counterbalance to limit the downward movement of said counterbalance and said rod also engaging said bracket to limit the lateral forward movement of said crank, and

to said lever arm, a U-shaped yoke secured to said link and arranged for engagement with the opmeans connecting said crank to said lever arm, said means comprising a link pivotally connected posite sides of said lever arm, and a rod having 20 one end connected to said link and its other end connected to said crank so that when said pedal Number 4 arm is depressed said yoke will engage the upper edge of said lever arm to give impetus to said lever arm whereby said counterbalance will actuate said lever arm to raise said seat.

MINORU MORIKAWA.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of. this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,084,426 Haley Jan. 13, 1914 2,011,5104 Giliasso Aug. 13, 1935 2,100,906 Lefkowitz Nov. 30, 1937 2,223,526 Moore Dec. 3, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 132,354 Switzerland July 1, 1929 487,892 Germany Dec. 13, 1929 

